The city’s busking rules are hitting a sour note with Barrie musician Dean Wiseman.
He says paying $32 in insurance for every four hours of performing, whether at the waterfront or downtown, makes it tough to make ends meet playing his mix of old country and a little rock music.
“That just seems to me almost criminal,” said Wiseman, 60, who’s played for 30 years. “And I’m just appalled. I don’t know what for. People drive cars and they don’t pay $30 a day.
“It was explained to me, the insurance company with the city insists that I have insurance,” he said, “if somebody trips over my guitar case, apparently, and I don’t see that happening, and that’s basically all that could happen, I think.”
Wiseman said the last time he kept track, playing a total of eight hours on a Saturday and Sunday, after the $64 in insurance was subtracted, he made $142.
“It’s ridiculous, isn’t it,” he said. “I just don’t have $32 to put out to be able to go and hope that I make $50 or $60 back.”
The city’s busking pilot program evolved from the former street performers program, working in conjunction with the emerging artist program to help animate downtown Barrie. Performing artists — musicians, poets, magicians, jugglers, contortionists, etc. — not eligible for the emerging artist program can get a permit to busk at one of two “busk stops” in the downtown. One is at the Five Points, the other near the Barrie Marina Office.
The busking permit application has 14 steps, including how to purchase coverage from the city’s third-party insurance provider — which isn’t needed if the busker has a certificate of insurance for $2 million in liability, naming the Corporation of the City of Barrie as additionally insured.
Dave Hyde, manager, small business centre, economic and creative development with the city, said buskers who choose to perform on city property must have insurance naming the City of Barrie as additionally insured to protect themselves and the municipality from potential liability.
“Should a passerby claim they had been injured as a result of the busker’s setup or performance,” he said.
Hyde said buskers are welcome to purchase insurance through any insurance provider they choose.
“The City of Barrie acknowledges the great expense performers usually pay for annual liability insurance, so has worked with a third-party insurance provider, A. Gallagher Canada Ltd., who offer insurance for events, photographers and performers” he said. “The provider offers insurance for one day, or for multiple days.”
Hyde said quotes for daily insurance have varied, with $32 a day being the average rate thus far, based on feedback the city has received from buskers and those who have received quotes for insurance through the provider.
A busking permit is free with proof of insurance, Wiseman said. But four years ago he paid $10 for insurance, for the year.
“I’m doing this just to see if I can make a few extra bucks and I really don’t care on a day if it’s 50 bucks or 100 bucks,” he said, “but I don’t want to have to pay $32 of my donations to just be able to play.”
Wiseman noted this is a new program and can perhaps be fixed ahead of next year’s busking season.
“I think it does need to be changed,” he said. “I think there’s been a major error. If someone actually sat down and realized ‘why is this guy paying $32 (in insurance) for four hours on a Saturday to play’, I think it would be changed.”
This pilot program will run for the rest of this year and be evaluated from feedback by all those involved for 2023.
